[wallabee4]

Just got a new computer. Trying to master updating from Windows XP to Windows 8.1 Not a techy-type and really stupidly stuck. Please somebody help!

From the Start menu (I hit in lower left corner of my desktop the Start icon and then type in whatever I want to search and at top right of screen a search box automatically appears) I hit enter to search and then results pop up. I can scroll down the choices of various results. But how do I close out that search screen? There is no 'X' in the top right corner. I did see what looked like a 'back' arrow right to the left of the top left block that reads "Results' but if I click on that all it does is makes that arrow disappear and I am still stuck on the search results screen with no way to make it go away.

I do not have touchscreen.

Someone suggested I rest cursor at top of screen and a bar will drop down with the 'X' but mine won't do that. The cursor 'arrow' just changes to a 'hand' and I get no bar or 'X' to drop down.

I moved cursor to lower left and got my desktop back up but now the search screen appears in a split screen on one side and my desktop on the other side. All I have been able to do is slide the sides of the search screen to make it a narrow window to the side of my desktop but it is still there and still open. It's like it is pinned in place.

I tried clicking on the start icon again and it goes to start screen but when I go to desktop the search screen is still there

[ScottGem]

Try press Alt+F4 to close a window. Or you can press the Windows button on your keyboard.

[wallabee4]

Try press Alt+F4 to close a window. Or you can press the Windows button on your keyboard.

he heh you thought I was smart enough to know what the Windows button was!
But after some research (yes, I am that non-techy) I found it and simply hitting that button worked beautifully. Thanks much!

For anyone reading this thread, the windows button is the little button on keyboard that looks like a 4-pane window...

And I also found out that when I read various short cuts that say push windows + X or windows +C that means that same little 4-pane 'Windows' button and the letter (no '+' sign needed!! )

Happy happy joy joy.

[ScottGem]

The Windows button has been on keyboards at lease since Vista. The 4 pane symbol is the Windows logo.